Collapsible stand for a lighting device



Dec. 10, 1968 J MCDERMOTT 3,415,476

COLLAPSIBLE STAND FOR A LIGHTING DEVICE Filed March 17, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 INVENTDR. 2:1. JULIAN A. McDERMOTT ATTORNEY.

1968 J. A. M DERMOTT COLLAPSIBLE STAND FOR A LIGHTING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1965 A T'T'ORNE) Dec. 10, 1968 J. A. MCDERMOTT 3,415,476

COLLAPSIBLE STAND FOR A LIGHTING DEVICE Filed March 17, 1965 r 3 Sheets-Sheet IHVENTOR. JUL IAN A. MCDEEMOTT United States Patent 3,415,476 COLLAPSIBLE STAND FOR A LIGHTING DEVICE Julian A. McDermott, 1639 Stephen St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11227 Filed Mar. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 440,414 14 Claims. (Cl. 248166) This invention relates to collapsible stand-mounted lightning devices, and more specifically to a lighting device that can be transported easily to the location of an emergency and which can there be erected in a minimum of time.

A police car or an emergency vehicle is often called to the scene of an emergency or accident. There it is necessary to erect a warning light instantly to warm oncoming trafiic.

With this in view, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an emergency light of a character which, in its inoperative position, is compact and readily transportable, and which can be quickly extended into an effective high-level warning light.

It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide a lighting device of this character, the legs of which can be readily collapsed and quickly extended.

And a further aim of this invention resides in the provision of a lighting device of this character, the legs of which are spring controlled and so arranged that spring action will retain the legs in supporting position until release of pressure against the springs will permit the legs to be collapsed, and action of the same springs will retain the legs in collapsed position.

A still further aim of the present invention resides in the provision of a lighting device of a character wherein the lamp head is provided with an extension cord and the device is provided with extension members so that, when the device is in operative position, the lamp head may be positioned upon the extension members.

These and other meritorious aims and advantages, which will become more fully apparent as the description hereof proceeds, are attained by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described, and illustrated on the accompanying drawings, constituting a material component of the present dis closure, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a rear elevational view of a lighting device constructed in accordance with the present invention the device being shown in operative position, the dot and dash lines showing the lamp head atop the extension members.

FIGURE 2 is a detail view of the upper end of the battery box showing the lamp head atop the extension member.

FIGURE 3 is a detail view of the telescoping standard.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the upright, the section being taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIGURE 5 is another sectional view of the upright, the section being taken on line 55 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is still another sectional view of the upright, the section being taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a front elevational view of the lighting device, the dot and dash lines showing one of the legs in collapsed position.

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the device, the lamp head having been removed to show the construction of the retaining elements.

FIGURE 9 is a detail view of a modified form of the invention, wherein the center member may also serve as battery container, eliminating a separate battery container.

FIGURE 10 is a detail view of one of the legs of the stand in extended position.

3,415,476 Patented Dec. 10, 1968 FIGURE 11 is a view similar to FIGURE 10 but showing the leg in retracted position.

FIGURE 12 shows a modified leg mounting arrangement similar to FIGURES l0 and 11 but with the retaining pins relocated, the leg being shown in extended position.

FIGURE 13 is a view similar to FIGURE 12, but showing the leg in collapsed position.

FIGURE 14 is a detail view of modified extension elements wherein a square tube is substituted for the channel shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 15 is a detail view of a position clamp on the extensions.

FIGURE 16 is an elevational view of the retaining bracket for the vertical extensions.

FIGURE 17 is a sectional view through the bracket illustrated in FIGURE 16.

FIGURE 18 is a section through the lower part of the battery box illustrated in FIGURE 14.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, the numeral 15b relates broadly to an embodiment of the present invention comprising broadly a battery container 16b and a plurality of legs 17b, each terminating in a curved or offset end as at 18b.

Each of the said legs 17b near the inner end thereof is provided with an elongated slot 20a for the passage of a bolt 20 therethrough which is fixed to the projection 21b of the frame 40. A coil spring 20b pushes the leg into latching position between pins 21 when the legs are in operative position.

By pulling each leg out, compressing each spring 30a, each leg 17b may be swiveled around each bolt 20. The pressure of the spring will then push the leg downward into collapsed position against the pins 21.

A plate frame 40 is attached to and becomes a part of the battery case. Projections 21b are provided to receive the legs.

Attached to the plate frame 40 is a channel 35 and at the upper end of the said channel 35 is a relatively short segment of tubing, the said channel and tube 35 being provided with a bracket 27.

A tube 34 is so arranged that it can slide through tube 36. A pin 28 projects through the bracket 26. It is so arranged that a spring and cotter pin assembly 26a makes it drop into an opening 26b in tube 24 when the said tube 24 is pulled upwardly thus holding this tube in an extended position.

A bracket 27, generally similar to bracket 26, is attached to the tube 24. A pin 29, projecting through the bracket 27, drops into the opening in tube 25 when the said tube 25 is pulled up. A spring and cotter pin assembly 30 provides the pressure required on pin 29.

A pin 25a prevents the rotation of tube 24 by abutting the channel 35. A socket 32 receives the light head 33 which is retained in a socket 60 on top of the battery case when the device is in inoperative position. A wire 34a extending through an opening 62 in the battery case transmits power to the light head. A switch is shown at 61. A socket 84 on the light head is used to receive and retain a plug. At 85a the legs of the stand are shown in collapsed position.

The functioning of the legs and projections illustrated in FIGURE 9 is similar to the functioning of the legs and projections of the other illustrations. However in FIGURE 9 the center section is fastened directly to the projections. The center may be used as the battery container or a separate battery container may be provided and 16a may be the extendable tube arrangement similar to 24 in FIGURE 1. The legs are shown at 17a and the pins at 20b. Thus a tripod assembly is provided.

For convenience in carrying the unit, the battery container 16 may be provided with a handle or carrier bracket which may be secured to the battery container 16 in a suitable and desirable manner such as for instance in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 7.

FIGURES 12 and 13 show still another modified leg collapsing arrangement. In this arrangement, each leg 51a is secured to a plate near the bottom of the battery container as hereabove described. Each of the said legs has a slot near one of its ends in which a coil spring 56 is housed. The coil spring 56 presses against a pivot 52. A pair of tops 54 are spacedly arranged on the plate 40 to limit the movement of the said legs 51 in both collapsed and extended positions. The pull on the legs compresses the springs allowing the change in the position of the legs. The leg 51a lies across the pin 54 when the leg is in an extended position and between the pins 54 when the leg is collapsed.

When the device is transported, the legs assume the position illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 7 of the drawings. The lamp head will be on the battery box as is also illustrated. When the device is used, the legs are pulled upward, compressing the springs 20a against the axle pins 20 but allowing the legs to push past the pin .21 and assuming a lowered position as shown in FIGURE 10 but securing locked in place with the pins 21. The legs remain in locked position until they are again pulled so as to compress the spring 20a allowing the legs to be rotated around axis 20 until a vertical position reached when it will again receive the pressure of the spring, returning to the position illustrated in FIGURE 11.

FIGURES 14 to 18 differ slightly in design and construction but are similar in effect and operation to the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES l to 13 inclusive.

In FIGURES 14 to 18, the numeral 55 is the lower part of the battery case, 63, 64 and 65 are the legs, 66 is a square tube fastened to the mounting frame 82, 67 is a round tube fitting and telescoping into 66, and 68 is a round tube telescoping into 67. The numeral 69 represents the socket which fits into the light head.

The numeral 70 indicates positioning stops in top fitting 69. A clamp ring 72 is attached to the top and made a part of the extension 67. Tightening of the screw 73 on the projection 71 holds the extension 68 up.

A projecting frame 77 attached to the square tube 66 has mounted onto it through an opening a catch pin 74 which is kept in a holding position by the spring 75 and a retaining cotter pin 75a. If the round tube 77 is pulled up when it reaches its full height, the pin 74 drops into an opening 67a in the tube 67, thus locking the tube in its extended position.

Pulling on the pin 74 allows the tube 67 to drop down after use. A pin 67b extends through a round tube 67 near its bottom, thus the said pin fits into the corners of the square tube. When tube 67 is pulled up, the said pin strikes the corner set screw 76, preventing the tube 67 from being pulled out. The fact that the clamp ring 72 is of a smaller diameter than the ring at the bottom of the tube 68 assures that the tube 68 will not be pulled out.

A stop pin extending through the square tube 66 provides a bottom rest for tubes 67 and 68, and these tubes are so dimensioned as to prevent finger pinching between tubes 67 and 66 as well as between tubes 68 and 66 as the tubes are collapsed.

Tube 79 is a socket for a flag dowel for storage of a signal flag. The positioning of the legs is similar to the description of the legs in FIGURES 1 through 13, but

78 is the pivot pin and 63, 64 and 65 are the legs.

I claim:

1. Means to provide a collapsible leg for a stand, said means including a leg member, a projecting element, an axle fixed to said projecting element and passing through a slot in said leg, and spring means in said slot to so position said leg on said projecting element that, when said leg approaches an extended position it engages a pin on said projecting element.

2. A collapsible leg for a stand including a leg member, a projecting element, an axle fixed to said projecting element, a slot in said leg member, said ax=le passing through said slot, a spring in said slot, a stop on said projecting element, said leg so positioned on said projecting element that said leg engages said stop when said leg approaches an extended position, said stop adapted to maintain said leg in extended position by the action of said spring means.

3. Means providing a collapsible leg for a stand, said means including a leg, a projecting element, a slot in said leg, an axle fixed to said projection element, said axle passing through said slot in said leg, spring means maintaining said leg on said projecting element in such manner that said leg engages a stop on said projecting element when said leg approaches an extended position, said stop maintaining said leg in extended position, said stop maintaining said leg in retracted position when said leg is placed in such position, and an additional stop preventing the collapse of said leg when the stand is lifted.

4. A collapsible stand including a leg member, a slot in said leg member, a projecting element, an axle fixed to said projecting element, said axle passing through said slot, spring means maintaining said leg in positions on said projecting element in such manner that, when said leg approaches an extended position it engages a stop on said projecting element, and stop means maintaining said leg in retracted position.

5. An extension for a stand including a channel, a cylindrical element slidable therein, means preventing notation of said cylindrical element wtihin said channel, tubular means to guide the movement of said cylindrical element, and spring actuated means engaging said cylin drical element and maintain it in extended position.

6. An extension for a stand including a rectangular tubular element, a cylindrical element telescoping into said rectangular element, means retaining the relative positions of said elements, said position retaining means providing alignment for a spring loaded pin, and an opening maintaining said cylindrical tubular member in position when extended.

7. An extension for a stand including a rectangular tubular element, a cylindrical element telescoping into said rectangular element, means retaining the relative positions of said elements, said position retaining means providing alignment for a pin, and an opening maintaining the said cylindrical tubular member in position when extended.

8. An extension for a stand including a rectangular tubular element, a cylindrical element telescoping into said rectangular element, means retaining the relative positions of said elements, and positioning means for aligning a pin engaging an opening in said cylindrical element whereby retaining said element in an extended position.

9. An extension for a stand including a rectangular tubular element, a cylindrical element telescoping into said retangular element, means retaining the relative positions of said elements, positioning means for aligning a pin engaging an opening in said cylindrical elements whereby retaining said cylindrical elements in an extended position, and said position retaining means constituting a stop to prevent the disengagement of said components by excessive upward movement.

10. An extension for a stand including a channel, a cylindrical element slidable therein, retaining means keeping said cylindrical element against channel, means preventing rotation of said cylindrical element within said channel, an opening in said cylindrical element, and a pin adapted to engage said opening when said cylindrical element is extended.

11. A battery container including means for removably holding a lighting fixture, leg means on and hinged to said battery container, and extendable means providing a raised mount for the light fixture.

12. In a warning light including a battery container,

leg means pivoting from said battery container, means for removably retaining a lighting fixture, and extendable means attachable to said battery container, said extendable means providing a raised mount for the lighting fixture, said leg means and battery container constituting the base of a stand. 13. A battery container including means for removably retaining a lighting fixture, leg means attached to and extendable from said battery container, extendable means providing a raised mount for said lighting fixture, and said battery container and its (legs constituting the base of a stand.

14. A battery container including means for removably retaining a lighting fixture, leg means attached to and extendable from said battery container, extendable means providing a raised mount for said lighting fixture, and

said battery container and its batteries when raised ineluding its legs forming the base of a stand.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 315,680 4/1885 Vanderburgh 248-168 X 2,306,891 12/1942 McArthur 248-408 2,484,406 10/1949 Gibson 287-99 X 2,591,888 4/1952 Steifin 240-81 X 2,599,269 6/1952 Markle 248-411 X 2,822,067 2/1958 Price 287-58 X 2,885,539 5/1959 McDermlott 240-81 X ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

5 I. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

1. MEANS TO PROVIDE A COLLAPSIBLE LEG FOR A STAND, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A LEG MEMBER, A PROJECTING ELEMENT, AN AXLE FIXED TO SAID PROJECTING ELEMENT AND PASSING THROUGH A SLOT IN SAID LEG, AND SPRING MEANS IN SAID SLOT TO SO POSITION SAID LEG ON SAID PROJECTING ELEMENT THAT, WHEN SAID LEG APPROACHES AN EXTENDED POSITION IT ENGAGES PIN ON SAID PROJECTING ELEMENT. 